William repaired again to his chamber, or would he return for
the plates, etcetera?

At last I crept upstairs to my father's room, which was locked. I could
not waken him by gently taping, and I feared that if I made a noise
I would warn the lurking Criminal in his den. I therfore went to my
bathroom and filled my bath sponge with water, and threw it threw the
transom in the direction of my father's bed.

As it happened it struck on his face, and I heard him getting up and
talking dreadfully to himself. Also turning on the lights. I put my
mouth to the keyhole and said:

"Father!"

Had he but been quiet, all would have been well. But he opened the door
and began roaring at me in a loud tone, calling me an imp of Mischeif
and other things, and yelling for a towle.

I then went in and closed the door and said:

"That's right. Bellow and spoil it all."

"Spoil what?" he said, glareing at me. "There's nothing left to spoil,
is there? Look at that bed! Look at me!"

"Father," I said, "while you are raging about over such a thing as a wet
Sponge, which I was driven to in desparation, the house is or rather has
been robbed."

He then sat down on the bed and said:

"You are growing up, Bab, although it is early for the burglar
obsession. Go on, though. Who is robbing us and why? Because if he finds
any Money I'll divide with him."

Such a speach discouraged me, for I can bear anything except to be
laughed at. I therfore said:

"William has just taken your Dispach Case out of the safe. I saw him."

"William!"

"William," I repeated in a tence voice.

He was then alarmed and put on his slippers and dressing gown.

"You stay here," he observed. "Personally I think you've had a bad
dream, because William can't possably know the combination of that safe.
It's as much as I can do to remember it myself."

"It's a Spy's business to know everything, father."

He gave me a peircing glance.

"He's a Spy, is he?" he then said. "Well, I might have known that all
this war preparation of yours would lead to Spies. It has turned more
substantile intellects than yours."

He then swiched on the hall lights from the top of the stairs and
desended. I could but wait at the top, fearing at each moment a shot
would ring out, as a Spy's business is such as not to stop at Murder.

My father unlocked the safe and looked in it. Then he closed it again
and disapeared into the back of the house. How agonising were the
moments th